Possibly my 1 and only interview this season. It will be just 1 person and based on interview feedback it is 60+ minutes and should be conversational. I never had this before. I had 2:1 or 3:1 or i had 2 short interviews 1:1 each. The time constraints were such that I would not compromise myself by inability to hold a conversation. I compromised myself in other ways. Like saying things completely wrong. You know like saying you would choose to lie to a patient,etc. So I have worked on my answers. But now I am afraid that instead of a 30minute interrogation he will want to first have a 15minute conversation and at the end of interrogration he will again want some free conversation. So what can u possibly talk about with an old doctor?? I sometimes have trouble talking to girls my age. And with them it's easy. You're not worried about things like narcissism. Basically I got nothing to say to an old doctor just like i got nothing to say to a cop. So please help me.

woof

Possibly my 1 and only interview this season. It will be just 1 person and based on interview feedback it is 60+ minutes and should be conversational. I never had this before. I had 2:1 or 3:1 or i had 2 short interviews 1:1 each. The time constraints were such that I would not compromise myself by inability to hold a conversation. I compromised myself in other ways. Like saying things completely wrong. You know like saying you would choose to lie to a patient,etc. So I have worked on my answers. But now I am afraid that instead of a 30minute interrogation he will want to first have a 15minute conversation and at the end of interrogration he will again want some free conversation. So what can u possibly talk about with an old doctor?? I sometimes have trouble talking to girls my age. And with them it's easy. You're not worried about things like narcissism. Basically I got nothing to say to an old doctor just like i got nothing to say to a cop. So please help me.

no. I had 1 interview 2years ago. Rejected. I had 3interviews last spring. 3x rejected. this is my last chance. And the format is different. It's 1 person who spends really a lot of time on you. I bet he wants to spend most of the time talking. But how do u make it so he talks not because you got nothing to say but because he got some reason to talk? I've never had a 60minute conversation with anybody 40+ who is not my father or my mother and those conversations usually end in "i am never talking to you again". Even with people of my age/class I am not very good at communications..

Clearly the best way to make him do most of the talking is to come with a copious amount of questions of your own.

Ask the question, and then push and prod here and there fore additional details. Not only will it make him talk a lot, but someone who asks questions will appear more interested in the school than someone who doesn't.

Also, do some research and come up with some good questions specific to that school.

Well usually the first question you are asked in any interview is "tell me about yourself". You can use this to really guide the rest of the interview. Talk for about 2 minutes about your childhood, family, school, research, volunteer, reasons for going to medicine, other non academic interests. Really you can use this question to set up the rest of your interview with things that you can talk about at length. So before your interview just think about topics that you can talk about at length and plant the seeds in your 2 minute response.
This is a good article from sdn i found (http://www.studentdoctor.net/2008/02/trick-question/)
Also look up the questions that are usually asked during that schools interview and prepare answers for them. You could also prepare for your interview by having friends and family ask these questions to you and have them give you feedback on you responses. Best of luck!!

Clearly the best way to make him do most of the talking is to come with a copious amount of questions of your own.

Ask the question, and then push and prod here and there fore additional details. Not only will it make him talk a lot, but someone who asks questions will appear more interested in the school than someone who doesn't.

Also, do some research and come up with some good questions specific to that school.

is it appropriate for an interviewee to ask questions? on previous interviews i only asked questions at the end when they said "got any questions?". What kind of questions have you asked for any school x? i know i ask my parents for money so what else can u ask?

is it appropriate for an interviewee to ask questions? on previous interviews i only asked questions at the end when they said "got any questions?". What kind of questions have you asked for any school x? i know i ask my parents for money so what else can u ask?

Do some research about the school. Perhaps find some program you find interesting, like an outreach program the students run or a free clinic the school has and ask about more information on that program. You could also ask them a specific question about the curriculum but make sure its not some general question you could have easily found the answer on the school's website. You want to show them that you are very interested in going to that school and therefore have researched the school (which you should do anyways).

Well usually the first question you are asked in any interview is "tell me about yourself". You can use this to really guide the rest of the interview. Talk for about 2 minutes about your childhood, family, school, research, volunteer, reasons for going to medicine, other non academic interests. Really you can use this question to set up the rest of your interview with things that you can talk about at length. So before your interview just think about topics that you can talk about at length and plant the seeds in your 2 minute response.
This is a good article from sdn i found (http://www.studentdoctor.net/2008/02/trick-question/)
Also look up the questions that are usually asked during that schools interview and prepare answers for them. You could also prepare for your interview by having friends and family ask these questions to you and have them give you feedback on you responses. Best of luck!!

Thank you. I have prepared an answer for "tell me about yourself". and i agree it can be used to guide the interview.. I am not very happy with my answer. I have a med school interview book where the answer is much more eloquent. it's still a lame answer to a lame question. but i can see how that person can transform the interview into a conversation as in that eloquent response he basically invites followup questions on other topics of his interest.
But as for me. I got basically 1 nonacademic interest. It is sports. It's basically recreation. Chilling. I have not done peacecorps or tfa. I did not go to africa or organize a homeless shelter. So I don't know what to talk about to someone who is an academic.
In each of my interviews I was asked about what books I might have read. But that does not lead to a conversation. I may list an author and he may say "oh wow I read that book as well". and that's it.

If I go to a bar to pick up chicks I usually have a lot to drink. It adds not only to my confidence but also imagination. And still, my conversations with girls are fairly simple. I start by saying she got nice eyes or nice shoes. And then proceed to talk about her classes and then switch back to how she looks. I am just not a good talker I am a good listener thats all.

Do some research about the school. Perhaps find some program you find interesting, like an outreach program the students run or a free clinic the school has and ask about more information on that program. You could also ask them a specific question about the curriculum but make sure its not some general question you could have easily found the answer on the school's website. You want to show them that you are very interested in going to that school and therefore have researched the school (which you should do anyways).

Thank you. I just seem to have all my questions answered whenever i do an extensive research. And the question that I find most to difficult to answer is "what makes your school unique from the other schools?" but thats obviously not something i should ask an interviewer. Thats something I need to be prepared to answer when he asks me why I applied there.

Possibly my 1 and only interview this season. It will be just 1 person and based on interview feedback it is 60+ minutes and should be conversational. I never had this before. I had 2:1 or 3:1 or i had 2 short interviews 1:1 each. The time constraints were such that I would not compromise myself by inability to hold a conversation. I compromised myself in other ways. Like saying things completely wrong. You know like saying you would choose to lie to a patient,etc. So I have worked on my answers. But now I am afraid that instead of a 30minute interrogation he will want to first have a 15minute conversation and at the end of interrogration he will again want some free conversation. So what can u possibly talk about with an old doctor?? I sometimes have trouble talking to girls my age. And with them it's easy. You're not worried about things like narcissism. Basically I got nothing to say to an old doctor just like i got nothing to say to a cop. So please help me.

You better relax. If you are not able to hold a "conversation" with the interviewer you are going to have a serious problem being accepted anywhere. During the interview, the "old doctor" is not going to try to find what the two of you have in common, but rather what "you are all about".

Be ready to talk about your hobbies, your activities and everything that you have put on your application and please try not to sound too "rehearsed". Smile, be polite and use your sense of humor. G'luck!!

It is hard to believe that you're asking these questions after having had four interviews. Did you learn anything from your past? I'm not trying to be mean, but the best way to refine your interview skills is to learn from interview. That's why I and many others do not get accepted at our first interview, but then quickly learned the right way to garner acceptance from following interviews. Better think about what went wrong last year? (on average 3 interviews should yield one acceptance) It should have been clear from last year that your weakness is interview skills, so it is hard to believe that after a year you're still struggling with some very basic interview questions. If you still have time, pick up any interview skill book, and sign up with an interview trainer.

You better relax. If you are not able to hold a "conversation" with the interviewer you are going to have a serious problem being accepted anywhere. During the interview, the "old doctor" is not going to try to find what the two of you have in common, but rather what "you are all about".

Be ready to talk about your hobbies, your activities and everything that you have put on your application and please try not to sound too "rehearsed". Smile, be polite and use your sense of humor. G'luck!!

Thank you. I know I have a hard time getting accepted.. I don't know what to tell about myself. I can certainly retell anything that I put on my application and clarify anything that is asked. But if I talk about sports as my hobby I don't think I'll have much to say.

Also, have any of you had any experience with anti-anxiety meds? I asked my dr about valium but she said she doesnt recommend it because of side-effects and that my anxiety is not so severe. But thats because I feel comfortable around her, she hasn't seen me in front of important people. I just know that if I have a couple of drinks I always smile and I am completely at ease. And it actually helps my conversation because my thoughts are not racing all over the place. Obviously I cant drink before the interview because he would smell me...

It is hard to believe that you're asking these questions after having had four interviews. Did you learn anything from your past? I'm not trying to be mean, but the best way to refine your interview skills is to learn from interview. That's why I and many others do not get accepted at our first interview, but then quickly learned the right way to garner acceptance from following interviews. Better think about what went wrong last year? (on average 3 interviews should yield one acceptance) It should have been clear from last year that your weakness is interview skills, so it is hard to believe that after a year you're still struggling with some very basic interview questions. If you still have time, pick up any interview skill book, and sign up with an interview trainer.

I did work on those problems that I had last year. I.e. I gave stupid answers to common questions like "why do u want to be a dr" or "what qualities should a dr have", ethics, etc. If thats all I had to do I would be ready now. I did not get rejected because I could not hold a conversation. But with this school I am afraid that the major emphasis will be on holding a conversation..

Have you ever tried to have a mock interview? Try to ask your undergrad school, or even any career preparation service, to give you a few mock interviews. You seem to have a general problem with any kind of interview, nothing specific to med school.
(That is if what you said is true and you're not playing underdog)

PS, there is nothing peculiar about having a 60-min interview. Actually, I'd love to have that as opposed to two thirty-minutes. If you don't feel at the end of a 30-min interview that time past so fast and you have only talked a little about yourself, you're not having a successful interview.

Have you ever tried to have a mock interview? Try to ask your undergrad school, or even any career preparation service, to give you a few mock interviews. You seem to have a general problem with any kind of interview, nothing specific to med school.
(That is if what you said is true and you're not playing underdog)

PS, there is nothing peculiar about having a 60-min interview. Actually, I'd love to have that as opposed to two thirty-minutes. If you don't feel at the end of a 30-min interview that time passes so fast and you have only talked a little about yourself, you're not having a successful interview.

Yes. I have troube with any kind of interview.. I did have a mock interview last year after getting rejected everywhere. I was told that my answers to some basic questions were not so bad. But that I looked very nervous. And on 1 question that I was not prepared for "give me a stressful situation" I just completely screwed up on my mock interview which made it obvious to that person how I screwed up my real interviews. I tried to fix those problems. But being able to hold a conversation thats a completely different ball game. I feel if he just asks me questions pertaining to my application the Q/A session will last 30minutes. But beyond 30mins there needs to be some conversation unrelated to my application. And I got nothing to say to a professor.

Grindin' Until I'm Tired

Possibly my 1 and only interview this season. It will be just 1 person and based on interview feedback it is 60+ minutes and should be conversational. I never had this before. I had 2:1 or 3:1 or i had 2 short interviews 1:1 each. The time constraints were such that I would not compromise myself by inability to hold a conversation. I compromised myself in other ways. Like saying things completely wrong. You know like saying you would choose to lie to a patient,etc. So I have worked on my answers. But now I am afraid that instead of a 30minute interrogation he will want to first have a 15minute conversation and at the end of interrogration he will again want some free conversation. So what can u possibly talk about with an old doctor?? I sometimes have trouble talking to girls my age. And with them it's easy. You're not worried about things like narcissism. Basically I got nothing to say to an old doctor just like i got nothing to say to a cop. So please help me.

This is a sh!tty attitude, which will need to change immediately if you want to do well in an interview. Perhaps you don't realize that as a physician, you will be treating a lot (mostly) older people, unless you go into pediatrics. Older people are the ones who get sick and end up needing the most care. No way will you be able to down a few drinks or pop a valium to make it through a work day.

Relax, act mature, and remember the interview will mostly be you talking about your motivation and experiences. This should be the easiest conversation to have, because it should be you talking about yourself.

woof

If I go to a bar to pick up chicks I usually have a lot to drink. It adds not only to my confidence but also imagination. And still, my conversations with girls are fairly simple. I start by saying she got nice eyes or nice shoes. And then proceed to talk about her classes and then switch back to how she looks. I am just not a good talker I am a good listener thats all.

This is a sh!tty attitude, which will need to change immediately if you want to do well in an interview. Perhaps you don't realize that as a physician, you will be treating a lot (mostly) older people, unless you go into pediatrics. Older people are the ones who get sick and end up needing the most care. No way will you be able to down a few drinks or pop a valium to make it through a work day.

Relax, act mature, and remember the interview will mostly be you talking about your motivation and experiences. This should be the easiest conversation to have, because it should be you talking about yourself.

I meant I don't know what to say.. Actually if I am a doctor I can definitely have a couple of drink in my office. I just had half a bottle and it made me happy but not really drunk. And those old patients ask me questions. They want me to listen to them and make me a diagonsis. They dont want to hear about my accomplishments, but this is precisely what I am supposed to do here... Also when I said "old professor" I did not mean it as a negative. I meant he is not only old but also accomplished. I got nothing impressive to show him(I mean say to him). I am afraid I am going to fail(

You have no idea what taking history of a patient, the basic skill of a physician, is like. The physician starts with asking a list of questions. And when you make a diagnosis, you don't just say the name of disease, you gotta explain it, and tell the patient how confident you are to treat it, as supported by your past experience and training. Have you had any clinical experience? Oh man.

You have no idea what taking history of a patient, the basic skill of a physician, is like. The physician starts with asking a list of questions. And when you make a diagnosis, you don't just say the name of disease, you gotta explain it, and tell the patient how confident you are to treat it, as supported by your past experience and training. Have you had any clinical experience? Oh man.

What makes you think that I want to be a primary care physician? And in med school you do take a 2yr long course on physical diagnosis where you have 100+ patient encounters with standardized and real patients where you practice exactly that -interviewing. And in 3rd yr you keep practicing. And you ask them questions. Then you explain to them information about a specific disease. Of course it is difficult to tell someone that his daughter died in a car accident or that he has cancer. But how is that related to talking about yourself? I got nothing to say about ME that would not make me look like an idiot.

Grindin' Until I'm Tired

What makes you think that I want to be a primary care physician? And in med school you do take a 2yr long course on physical diagnosis where you have 100+ patient encounters with standardized and real patients where you practice exactly that -interviewing. And in 3rd yr you keep practicing. And you ask them questions. Then you explain to them information about a specific disease. Of course it is difficult to tell someone that his daughter died in a car accident or that he has cancer. But how is that related to talking about yourself? I got nothing to say about ME that would not make me look like an idiot.

Clearly the best way to make him do most of the talking is to come with a copious amount of questions of your own.

Ask the question, and then push and prod here and there fore additional details. Not only will it make him talk a lot, but someone who asks questions will appear more interested in the school than someone who doesn't.

This is poor advice. Nothing says "I'm awkward and uncomfortable" more than giving short answers but having a laundry list of questions that you hope will consume the time.

You need to sell them on you much more than the other way around.

OP, whatever the outcome, you need to work on being more comfortable in interpersonal and social settings. That's seems to be the root of you interview problem and is likely a bigger issue in your life.

This is poor advice. Nothing says "I'm awkward and uncomfortable" more than giving short answers but having a laundry list of questions that you hope will consume the time.

You need to sell them on you much more than the other way around.

OP, whatever the outcome, you need to work on being more comfortable in interpersonal and social settings. That's seems to be the root of you interview problem and is likely a bigger issue in your life.

Thank you. Yes, it is a huge issue in my life. I wish i could try some anti-anxiety meds like alcohol. But beyond that. Even if I did not have anxiety, I still do not know how to talk about myself for an hour. Unless he does something unusual like grill me on some ethics issues or on some other clinical scenarios. But based on interview feedback they just have a laid-back, conversational style. I wish I could engage them

woof

Thank you. Yes, it is a huge issue in my life. I wish i could try some anti-anxiety meds like alcohol. But beyond that. Even if I did not have anxiety, I still do not know how to talk about myself for an hour. Unless he does something unusual like grill me on some ethics issues or on some other clinical scenarios. But based on interview feedback they just have a laid-back, conversational style. I wish I could engage them

Dude, first sign of alcoholism is dependence on it under any circumstances (I totally just made that up). But seriously, you better be careful. If you can't interview or see patients without alcohol in your system, you're screwed. And despite what you have learned from Hollywood, you cannot drink on the job. That's just absurd. You would have your license taken away faster than you can say "I'm an idiot for going into medicine"

Sorry but are you joking? You think that as a doctor you will be able to have a few shots in your office and then go and treat patients? Statements like these are very worrisome. Either you are just pulling everyone's chain here or you need to receive counseling on your social anxiety problems. Alcohol is definitely not a solution. If you don't mind me asking, which DO were you accepted into?

Hi I'm Kate

I meant I don't know what to say.. Actually if I am a doctor I can definitely have a couple of drink in my office. I just had half a bottle and it made me happy but not really drunk. And those old patients ask me questions. They want me to listen to them and make me a diagonsis. They dont want to hear about my accomplishments, but this is precisely what ...(

I'm concerned about the OP's ability to interview successfully at a school, especially given that he has been to several interviews over the course of the past few years. I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt and think that he is genuinely unable to hold a conversation and is socially awkward/deficient, BUT he is saying a lot of strange things, like wanting to DRINK ALCOHOL while on the job.

I'm going to risk being a dick and just say it up front--if you can't handle something like a medical school interview (especially after having several), I am not sure that you should enter this profession, which requires a lot of basic social skills and ability to interact with others without any added "substances". I can understand maybe one application cycle of poor interviews yielding no acceptances, but that should encourage you to truly refine your skills so you can get in the second time or third time around.

You have to be joking.... You cant hold a conversation with someone older than you, you dont have any hobbies to talk about, you think drinking half a bottle of whatever will get you through your day even as a doctor, you are really hostile and you want to get on anti-anxiety meds?

How did you even get an interview? I bet you are a mean drunk, so i would advise against using it to interview if for nothing else.

So what can u possibly talk about with an old doctor?? I sometimes have trouble talking to girls my age. And with them it's easy. You're not worried about things like narcissism. Basically I got nothing to say to an old doctor just like i got nothing to say to a cop. So please help me.

LudicrousSpeed!

OP, stop drinking. and i don't even mean that in a omigosh you're gonna be an alky kinda way (though you should watch it - being dependent on it for anything is a flag). i mean that if you are uncomfortable socially without it then the only way to become comfortable is to not use it. if you don't regularly push yourself just outside your comfort zone nothing will change, because you go to your backup crutch. then in crutchless situations you freak out. go out of your way to put yourself in those situations without alcohol so you can learn to tread water. it's important for your interviews and really important to your life in general because it sucks being terrified of interacting comfortably in groups or with people you don't know who may or may not have anything in common with you.

yes talking about how awesome of a fit you are for school x without actually sounding like a tool is somewhat of an art, and is tough for a lot of people. you say your 'tell me about yourself' answer sucks, so work on it. sports as an extracurricular is great if they ask about stuff you like - tell them about it so they can see something you ARE comfortable talking about. i assume you volunteered. think about what you got out of it, what you saw, why it was important. think about your hardest or easiest or best classes, or sporting challenges, or whatever, so you have some things to go to. your application is full of stuff - each of those titles of what you did should have a little abstract in your head as to what it was about, why you did it, etc.

most importantly keep trying to relax, breathe, take a sec and think, and then just tell them your answer. they are trying to find out about you. let them. you're not the first socially awkward person to apply to med school by far.

Ps119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

‎"The enemy is in front of us, the enemy is behind us, the enemy is to the right and to the left of us. They can’t get away this time." ~Gen. Douglas MacArthur
"An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes, which can be made, in a very narrow field." —Niels Bohr"If I followed what I was interested in when I was 7, right now I would either be a Power Ranger or a firetruck" - bobsmith

OP, stop drinking. and i don't even mean that in a omigosh you're gonna be an alky kinda way (though you should watch it - being dependent on it for anything is a flag). i mean that if you are uncomfortable socially without it then the only way to become comfortable is to not use it. if you don't regularly push yourself just outside your comfort zone nothing will change, because you go to your backup crutch. then in crutchless situations you freak out. go out of your way to put yourself in those situations without alcohol so you can learn to tread water. it's important for your interviews and really important to your life in general because it sucks being terrified of interacting comfortably in groups or with people you don't know who may or may not have anything in common with you.

yes talking about how awesome of a fit you are for school x without actually sounding like a tool is somewhat of an art, and is tough for a lot of people. you say your 'tell me about yourself' answer sucks, so work on it. sports as an extracurricular is great if they ask about stuff you like - tell them about it so they can see something you ARE comfortable talking about. i assume you volunteered. think about what you got out of it, what you saw, why it was important. think about your hardest or easiest or best classes, or sporting challenges, or whatever, so you have some things to go to. your application is full of stuff - each of those titles of what you did should have a little abstract in your head as to what it was about, why you did it, etc.

most importantly keep trying to relax, breathe, take a sec and think, and then just tell them your answer. they are trying to find out about you. let them. you're not the first socially awkward person to apply to med school by far.

Thank you! I actually only drink wine with dinner or breakfast I never go beyond DUI limit unless I am with a group of people and the goal is to get drunk and stupid. And I obviously cannot drink for the interview because it's easy to smell alcohol. So I'll go as best as I can. Yes I was not prepared for any of those questions that you mentioned last year. And this year I might only have 1 chance. And I have researched this school, and it is actually a great fit for me. I still have some time to prepare. But it's tough when you have a history of failure.

I meant I don't know what to say. Actually if I am a doctor I can definitely have a couple of drink in my office. I just had half a bottle and it made me happy but not really drunk. And those old patients ask me questions. They want me to listen to them and make me a diagonsis. They dont want to hear about my accomplishments, but this is precisely what I am supposed to do here... Also when I said "old professor" I did not mean it as a negative. I meant he is not only old but also accomplished. I got nothing impressive to show him(I mean say to him). I am afraid I am going to fail(

I meant I don't know what to say.. Actually if I am a doctor I can definitely have a couple of drink in my office. I just had half a bottle and it made me happy but not really drunk. And those old patients ask me questions. They want me to listen to them and make me a diagonsis. They dont want to hear about my accomplishments, but this is precisely what I am supposed to do here... Also when I said "old professor" I did not mean it as a negative. I meant he is not only old but also accomplished. I got nothing impressive to show him(I mean say to him). I am afraid I am going to fail(

I hear ya. My friend didn't get into John Hopkin's because of an A- in physical chem. Oh well, slackers never prosper. I'd recommend re-taking it, take advanced ochem, and send an e-mail to all the medical schools you're interested in and apologize in advance.

Ether Man

Good advice for any interview or oral board exam:
Pause for 2 seconds and think about the question. Pause for 1 more second and think specifically about how the question relates to the previous question or case details. That will allow you to formulate a coherent, appropriate, correct answer to the question, and help avoid putting your foot squarely in your mouth and making a huge gaffe. People appreciate a short pause followed by a coherent answer. Read the other post nearby about interview disasters. The 3 second pause and a moment of thought would have avoided 99% of the disaster answers.
I interview people for faculty and fellowship positions. The people that we interview are all the cream of the crop. Bomb the interview, lose the job. Kill the interview, maybe you get an offer. It's pretty much that simple. The interview is absolutely make or break. If you forget that, you're behind the 8 ball.

Regards,
Il Destriero.“The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is.”.

is it appropriate for an interviewee to ask questions? on previous interviews i only asked questions at the end when they said "got any questions?". What kind of questions have you asked for any school x? i know i ask my parents for money so what else can u ask?

Absolutely. Think of it less as an interview and more of a conversation. Go back and forth with the person, you ask a question, delve into a bit, he'll return with a question for you, etc. That sounds like it would set up a solid conversation to me